The need for electrical energy across the world appears to be ever growing. In this regard, electricity for power grids across the world is generated through a wide variety of methods. In one example, coal, natural gas, petroleum, another fossil fuel, wood, waste, and/or one or more other fuel sources are burned to create heat, which is then used to turn a turbine (e.g., via pressure applied to the turbine by steam that is created, and/or by air that is expanded, by the heat) and ultimately to turn an electrical generator.
In another example, wind or water is used to create electricity as such media move past (or otherwise interact with) a generator. For instance, water passing through a hydroelectric dam, water passing a water wheel, air passing a wind turbine, and tidal water passing a tidal energy converter have each been found to be effective methods for generating electricity.
In still other examples, sunlight (e.g., via solar cells, solar thermal energy generators) and/or geothermal energy (e.g., via vapor-dominated reservoirs, liquid-dominated reservoirs, enhanced geothermal systems, geothermal heat pumps, etc.) are used to generate electricity. Moreover, in still another example, nuclear energy is used to generate electricity. In this regard, uranium or another fissionable material is typically used to generate heat that converts water to steam, which, in turn, rotates one or more turbines that are coupled to one or more electric generators.
Although many conventional methods for generating electricity have proven to be useful, such methods are not necessarily without their shortcomings. For instance, some methods that generate electricity by burning fossil fuels, also produce relatively large amounts of pollution and carbon dioxide gas, while depleting the Earth's limited natural resources. Additionally, some methods for generating electricity via solar-power and/or wind-power systems are only able to generate electricity when they are exposed to a sufficient amount of sunlight and/or wind—factors that are not necessarily available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Moreover, as some geothermal and hydroelectric power systems rely upon, and are limited by, the natural conditions on which such systems rely, many such systems are optimally (and sometimes only) placed in specific locations (e.g., at tectonic plate boundaries, rivers, reservoirs, coast lines, etc.) that have the requisite conditions. Furthermore, some nuclear power plants also have shortcomings, which can include potential environmental damage associated with potential meltdowns, accident, uranium mining, and nuclear waste generated by the power plants.
Thus, while systems and methods currently exist that are used to generate electricity, challenges still exist, including those listed above. Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to augment or even replace current techniques with other techniques.